How do you look at your things? Are they valuable to you? Are they clutter to you? Do you wonder where all those things came from?
Most of the time clutter accumulates without us paying much attention to it. Then one day we look around and feel overwhelmed. Our things have taken over our homes! Now we start beating ourselves up wondering how we let this happen.
One reason is because we were too nice to our things. Yes, I said too nice. We have let these things take up residence in our homes even though many don’t deserve to be there. They are freeloaders!
Webster’s definition for freeloader is: a person who habitually imposes on others for free food, lodging, etc.
If we look at our things from this angle how many of them could be considered freeloaders? They are living in your home for free if they don’t serve any purpose to make your life better.
To determine if something has earned the right to live in your home ask yourself these questions.
- Does the item serve a practical function?
- Does the item make you smile?
- Does the item bring up good memories?
- Does the item pamper you?
- Does the item make a family member happy therefore making you happy?
Something may be a freeloader because:
- You feel obligated to keep it because someone gave it to you. It doesn’t matter that you hate it or it doesn’t go with anything in your home.
- It belongs to someone else but you feel too guilty to get rid of it or insist the owner take it back.
- You bought something but realize it was a mistake. It’s too late to return it so you feel too guilty to get rid of it and waste all that money.
- You don’t want to contribute to the landfill so you plan to recycle it. You just haven’t gotten around to finding a place to take it.
- It no longer fits but it’s too good to get rid of. Maybe you’ll lose the weight someday.
There are all kinds of excuses that allows us to let the freeloaders take up residence in our homes. Don’t buy into those excuses. Kick those freeloaders to the curb!
Janice